This invention relates to a vehicle for feeding and screening material. The vehicle includes a feeder system for feeding material, a screen assembly for screening material fed thereto by the feeder system, and conveyor or transporting structure for conveying material processed by the screen assembly. A vehicle of this description has utility in processing soil or dirt where the soil has mixed with it rocks, concrete pieces, stumps, stones, discarded hardware, and other debris. After processing, a dirt and debris mixture as above described may be separated into multiple piles, with one containing essentially soil, and other piles of differently sized material having commercial use as a recycled product. The feeding and screening of material is an increasingly important aspect of cleaning up our environment.
Generally, an object of the invention is to provide a novel vehicle for the handling of material of different screen sizes, adapted to have such material deposited thereinto, and then to feed and to screen the material, with material subsequently discharged to different pile locations.
Another object is to provide such a vehicle capable of efficiently handling a mixture of dirt and debris, or refuse, where the debris may include objects of substantial size, as well a multiple gradations of smaller size.
A further object is to provide a vehicle which includes a screen assembly and means for feeding material to the screen assembly, as well as conveyors for conveying different classifications of material away from the vehicle, with all such structure combined on a vehicle which is conveniently moved over the road.
Yet another object is to provide a vehicle which includes a feeding means and a screen assembly for screening product fed, as well as conveyors for conveying product to different locations, and which further includes a novel system for blocking the frame of the vehicle with the vehicle at an operating site, whereby the vehicle frame and all the components mentioned are supported in a stable manner on ridged leg structure, and not through the suspension system and wheels of the vehicle.
The vehicle contemplated when set up at an operating site provides a completely self-contained plant for handling material and screening material. Operating components are of a rugged construction, and may have a size sufficient to impart to the vehicle a capability of handling substantial tonnages of material per hour of operation. The vehicle when ready for road transport is sufficiently compact to enable it to comply with the usual state regulations governing road transport. The vehicle, nevertheless, is easily set up at an operating site in an operating state, without the need of extensive auxiliary equipment to preform the set-up operation.